The Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) welcomes the Honourable Zee Hamid to his new role as Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. Minister Hamid was appointed to the portfolio on September 10 as part of changes to Ontario’s Executive Council.
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming is an important partner for Ontario’s public libraries, with responsibility for provincial public library policy, programs and funding. FOPL looks forward to working with Minister Hamid and his team to continue advancing the needs and priorities of public libraries and the communities they serve across Ontario. FOPL will be reaching out to Minister Hamid to introduce our organization and Ontario’s public library sector and to continue the productive conversations we have been having with Ministry staff. With a new Minister in place, we look forward to continuing our advocacy on key priorities, including sustainable provincial funding for public libraries, support for First Nations Public Libraries, improved connectivity, and equitable access to digital resources for Ontarians.
FOPL would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the Honourable Doug Downey for his service as Interim Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming and for his continued support of Ontario’s public libraries. We greatly appreciated the opportunity to engage with Minister Downey during his time in the portfolio and his interest in the priorities and opportunities facing the public library sector.
On behalf of FOPL and our members across the province, we congratulate Minister Hamid on his appointment and look forward to working together to support strong, sustainable public libraries and the communities they serve.